Week 5 Little Brother


Title & Author:  Little Brother by Cory Doctorow.
Summary:  Seventeen-year-old Marcus is the wrong teen to cross.  Armed with mad hacking skills, a rebellious spirit, and enough teen angst to take on the Department of Homeland Security, Marcus is on a mission after he and his friends are unjustly targeted in the wake of a terrorist attack.
Reference: Doctorow, C. (2008). Little Brother. New York, NY: Tor Teen.
My Impressions: For me, this book was an informational read, as I learned so much about the Internet, hacking, and other computer-related topics I’d never even heard of before.  For techy/geeky teens who rebuild their own hard drives and/or are rebels at heart, this book is a must-read.
Professional Review: Gr. 8-12 /*Starred Review*/ Seventeen-year-old techno-geek w1n5t0n (aka Marcus) bypasses the school's gait-recognition system by placing pebbles in his shoes, chats secretly with friends on his IMParanoid messaging program, and routinely evades school security with his laptop, cell, WifFnder, and ingenuity. While skipping school, Markus is caught near the site of a terrorist attack on San Francisco and held by the Department of Homeland Security for six days of intensive interrogation. After his release, he vows to use his skills to fight back against an increasingly frightening system of surveillance. Set in the near future, Doctorow's novel blurs the lines between current and potential technologies, and readers will delight in the details of how Markus attempts to stage a techno-revolution. Obvious parallels to Orwellian warnings and post-9/11 policies, such as the Patriot Act, will provide opportunity for classroom discussion and raise questions about our enthusiasm for technology, who monitors our school library collections, and how we contribute to our own lack of privacy. An extensive Web and print bibliography will build knowledge and make adults nervous. Buy multiple copies; this book will be h4wt (that's hot, for the nonhackers).
Reference: Dobrez, C. (2008, April 1). [Review of the book Little Brother by Cory Doctorow]. Booklist,104, (15), 48. Retrieved from

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